Depends on the school. In my location, if you live in a country and are there for a reason other than being employed by an IS, then you are considered a local hire regardless of nationality.

There are lots of good schools in Europe. A search of European schools on this forum will give you plenty of information.

love my job and work hard at it! still, ready for SUMMER! nothing to be ashamed of!

I think that every couple is different and that the rules that apply for some do not necessarily apply to others. It is true that ultimately it is a decision that you have to make together and for it to work, you really have to be committed to the relationship and to each other

Some logistical things to consider:
What is the time difference, exactly? Are there times during the day (preferably two windows of opportunity) when you would have an hour to communicate (not that you'd use the whole hour)? Are they convenient? For example, a 7 hour difference for someone that I communicate with long distance means that we talk during my mornings and my afternoons (his afternoons and bedtimes), but that he misses my bedtimes and I miss his mornings. Is that something you can handle?

Where does he live stateside and to what country are you going? Proximity to large international airports makes travel more convenient and significantly more affordable.

Does your financial situation allow for you each to travel to the others' home base at least once a year (for a total of twice), ideally more? Two visits (say Christmas travel for you and spring for him) that are a week long with four months in between is really not that crazy of a thing to handle with Skype and everything else in between.

Does his job situation allow him to get some time off during the year?

Does he have a friend network at home that will keep him supported during your absence? Are you the type of person that will be able to make connections at your new location so that you're not home wishing you were somewhere else? The first few months of a new place are HARD; be prepared to put yourself out there to meet people and engage in activities that lessen the loneliness.

And finally, do you trust each other? Is the sacrifice worth it? Are you willing to make a leap of faith to experience something you've always wanted? Will you or would you or could you repay the favor to him in the future?

The last thing you want is to bail mid-school year; you'd risk a spotty resume, bad references, and it would feel bad.

Good luck in your decision making. I think it's totally possible to have your love and your experience too. It may be hard but that doesn't mean you'll regret it.

Plus, you're probably really looking at 10 or 11 months, not a full year.
:-)

One of the arguments in favor of job fairs and the face to face nature of them is that recruiters can get a "feel" for a person, i.e. take in all of the body language cues, choice of dress, appearance (does this person look healthy? do they take care of themselves?), tone and volume of voice, eye contact, handshake, odor, age, attractiveness, facial expressions, the list goes on. It could be that something is turning people off. Maybe a friend or former colleague could better answer that question.

As for no one contacting you directly, why would they? You can read here how competitive it can be. When people are knocking down my door to give me doughnuts, I'm not walking around them to go buy doughnuts at the store.

Good luck! I would say don't give up. Contact someone and get the job you want!

i'm definitely doing this. he has been around for awhile and was then gone for nearly a year and suddenly appeared again more relentless than before. i think he needs help and i hope he finds it.

yay!

I don't know enough about ALL of the fairs to be able to make comparisons, but speaking for the UNI fair on its own, yes, it is a good fair for new teachers, especially if you are single. Some schools will be looking for more experienced candidates and may not grant you interviews, but there are plenty of other schools in attendance from many different countries.

Thank you for your responses!

Quality of schools?

I really love this fair diary. You went into it with a realistic attitude and you'd done your prep work. You were patient and flexible and it paid off!

I cannot think of any reason that you would not forward the updated resume. To the HR director, perhaps? They would at least be able to tell you how to handle the situation.

Thanks for the detailed diary! Congrats!

Hello,

I have read various topics that suggest how difficult it is to land a position in Europe without an EU passport. Does this hold true for Europe in its entirety?

Specifically I am looking at Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Poland, and Hungary.

Any information is appreciated, especially if it is a result of direct experience.

Thanks.

This spring I will travel to a part of the world in which I would love to work. There are many schools in close proximity of each other. Would it be appropriate to visit the schools and my chosen department while I am in town?